


After The Fall

by poetically_ordinary



Series: Prompt Fills [5]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Not A Fix-It, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Prompt Fill, Sokovia Accords
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 10:04:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9175756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poetically_ordinary/pseuds/poetically_ordinary
Summary: Tony made a promise to stop making weapons after Afghanistan, but in the aftermath of the Civil War he realizes the cold truth - that he's been making weapons for the Avengers for years.He vows to fix this problem though, and burn a few bridges in the process.





	

 

It takes five weeks and two minor surgeries before the Doctors lose that panicked, almost pinched look every time they see him. Pepper has stopped dropping by as well, not that Tony is too surprised to say the least. This is after all everything she feared and everything that she didn’t want. Sitting by Tony’s hospital bed as the Doctors rattle off horrible percentage options and praying that she’s making the best choice.

She asked for Tony to make Rhodey his medical power of attorney after he woke up from Siberia. Tony remembers how the rush of joy at seeing her there was dampened by that request.

This wasn’t going to bring them back together.

If anything, he can see in her eyes that it’s made it worse.

Another thing that Tony’s managed to break, another promise he couldn’t keep.

“You’re looking a little worse around the edges than usual Stark.” Ross is clearly thrumming with glee at the image that Tony presents in his hospital bed. Tony figures that he’s got something to smile about, he’s won after all.

Ross won.

Steve and Tony let him win.

“What brings you here Secretary? I doubt your inner Florence Nightingale wants to come out for my benefit.” There’s a large file under Ross’s arm. It’s thick, like most military briefings are, and Ross hands it over to him with a relish.

“What’s this?” He asks as he opens the first page and lets his eyes scan it. It’s a commission request, a weapons commission request for Tony and for Stark Industries. “Forgive my bluntness, but they’ve got me on the good stuff here apparently. What the hell is this?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Regardless, spell it out for me anyways. Because last time I checked, Stark Industries no longer made weapons for the military. I’m pretty sure that we were very clear about that. In fact I remember a whole fiasco that surrounded that decision, so this isn’t making any sense to me.”

“Well see, that’s what I said to them as well.” Tony very well doubts that. “However, then it came to our attention that you were still designing weapons, just off the books. As you can imagine, this has caused quite a bit of concern from people in certain positions. Especially with the world we live in now.”

“What are you talking about? If you’re referring to the armor, I’ve already got that patented as a life support prosthesis.” Tony knows that’s not what the other is getting at when his smile grows.

“I’m talking about these.” He reaches over and flips to a new page in the booklet. It’s the original military spec designs for the Falcon wings. Tony starts to feel a small amount of horror starting to grip him.

“Stark Industries designed para-rescue assistance. Not a weapon.”

“True, but that was then. Imagine our _concern_ when we realized that the ‘Falcon’ project had been reopened without military approval and adjusted by none other than Tony Stark.”

“I didn’t add weapons to it.”

“What do you call that little machine that detaches now?”

“Surveillance device.” Ross clearly doesn’t buy it, and he doesn’t lose the look like he’s won something.

“That’s not the only thing to concern us, there’s more of course. Turn to page fifty seven.” Tony does what’s bidden of him and has to maintain a neutral reaction.

“Self-defense system.” He says, acting careless. “If you want to get technical, a kind of defibrillator.” Ross arches an eyebrow at him, clearly unimpressed with his comment. “The suit was designed to withstand heavy assault and to juice the person inside if the heart stopped.” He shakes his head and closes the file. “It was however a failure on the field due to various reasons.”

“Cut the crap Stark. You’ve been providing military grade weapons to a group of vigilantes now turned international terrorist.” He takes a step closer. “You can be tried, I can have you arrested and locked away before you can even blink.” His grin gets darker. “You’ve abetted terrorists Stark. I can lock you away without a care, regardless of who you are.” He reaches out and grabs the file. “So you, are going to help me.”

“I don’t make weapons.” It sounds hollow to him right now, because it’s not true. Ross is right, in his own way. Tony’s been making the Avengers weapons and armor for years now, and now it’s coming to bite him in the ass.

“I’m sure it’ll be like riding a bike.” Ross assures him as he turns and walks out of the room, leaving Tony inside reeling. Nurses come rushing in a moment later, fussing over his heart or his need to breath or something – Tony’s not really paying attention at the time.

The sedative that they give him works wonders though and he’s out like a light before he can even fully register what they’ve done.

By the time he wakes up, his head is clearer and his injuries are coming along nice enough that he’s able to tone down some of the drug levels. He needs to be able to function right now, and he’s never really liked any of those narcotics that messed with his brain.

“FRIDAY?” He asks as he puts the earpiece in, and she comes online in seconds.

_‘Boss?’_

“I need to know who we know in Washington right now that has enough clout and still owes us favors.”

_‘On it.’_

“And activate the tracking system on the Avengers gear. I need to know where they are right now.”

 _‘Will do Boss.’_ It doesn’t take FRIDAY long to bring up the information that he’s requested and for a moment he just stares at the tablet screen.

The Avengers are in Wakanda.

What the _actual_ fuck are they doing in Wakanda? T’Challa was one of the first signers of the Accords – the Accords pressed by his late father. The same father that T’Challa kept promising to honor and avenge.

How did keeping the rogue Avengers inside his sovereign borders seem like a rational answer to any of that?

“FRIDAY, set up a meeting with T’Challa. An Avengers Accords meeting please.”

 _‘King T’Challa will be in the states tomorrow. He has agreed to stop by to discuss the Accords with you.’_ Tony nods and tries to maintain a level head, he _tries_ to see from T’Challa’s point of view but eventually gives up in sake of his own sanity. _‘Boss?’_

“Listening.”

_‘I’ve narrowed down to three possibilities for potential assistance with Ross. Would you like me to set up an appointment?’_

“Yeah, see if they can come ASAP.”

~+~

It’s been a while since Tony’s seen, let alone talked to, Senator Galesburg. She looks the same as ever, and she gives the obligatory pleasentaries when she sees him.

“Forgive me for the current location, apparently they really don’t recommend me leaving medical observation.”

“It’s quite alright. I was a little surprised to receive your call.” There’s an underlayer of distrust to her voice and Tony doesn’t blame her. He knows this song and dance as well, and he doesn’t begrudge her for wondering what he wants.

After all, he’s not innocent in this whole thing. He does want something from her, he just hopes that it’s something she can, and is willing, to give him.

“Yeah, thank you for coming so quickly. I kind of think I’ll just jump straight to the point.”

“That’s always preferred.”

“Would you like to take a seat?” He motions to the guest chairs next to him and she shakes her head, all business.

“I’d prefer to stand.”

“Works for me. I know that Secretary Ross has put in military requests for weapon upgrades from Stark Industries claiming a breach in…I don’t know patriotism? In assisting the Avengers with their gear.” Tony shakes his head. “He’s not wrong, I weaponized them without even realizing that I was doing it.”

“You admit to making weapons?”

“No, I admit to making advancements that were _used_ as weapons. Not outright making weapons. I’ve already got my lawyers on standby and they’re ready to take this case if it needs to be one. However I was hoping that I might be able to offer up something else in exchange for all of that unpleasantness.”

“And what would you be offering?”

“Every piece of StarkWare has a kill switch. From the cellphones all the way up to the Iron Man armor. I am willing to, and I’ll admit I plan to, disable the mechanical advancements that the ex-Avengers currently possess.” She comes forward a step.

“You can shut them down?”

“No, I can however shut down their tech.” Tony glances down at his hands. “I thought I was helping Eleonore, I thought I wasn’t doing any harm but now…I can see I was wrong. And I want to fix this.” She takes a seat at the chair that she refused earlier and her look is a little softer around the edges.

“No one doubts that you aren’t fully committed to upholding the law. We all saw that when you signed, and we know your resolve when you came back like this after going toe to toe with Steven Rogers.”

“This was my own fault. I didn’t do anything heroic.”

“Never the less, what I’m trying to say is that you have a lot more goodwill in the back rooms then I think you’ve had in a long time…if ever.” She shakes her head. “Don’t let Ross scare you, nothing has been decided about any of that. Come forward with your offer, get ahead of him and let’s see where the chips fall.” She tilts her head. “Do you know where they are? Can you track them with this ‘kill switch’?”

“I’d need access to my mainframe, but in theory yes. It depends on a lot of factors, and it would take some time. If the Accords office decides to push that request through, I’ll see what I can do.”

“The Accords Office?”

“Yeah, it would require the Iron Man armor. So, in order to do it, it’d have to be a sanctioned Accords request.”

“I’ll pass on that message and see what I can do. I’ll also handle Ross, do your part and I’ll make sure mine is handled.”

“Thank you Eleanor.”

~+~

“Mr. Stark. It is good to see you are doing much better from the last time we crossed.” It’s been a couple of days since Eleanor stopped by, and T’Challa enters the room like he owns it. He’s all poise and it irritates Tony at the lie hidden underneath that façade. A lie that Tony would have never seen, because he thought that they were on the same side.

When will he learn to stop trusting these people?

“I’m going to get right to the point your Majesty. I know that the Avengers are in Wakanda. I don’t want to know why, I don’t care anymore. I’m giving you a heads up that the Accords Council has started voting on how to handle Rogers and the others. I would hate to see Wakanda suffer…difficulties because of it’s houseguests.” T’Challa’s mock open face closes off to him. He can see the judging the young king is giving him right now and for once, he couldn’t give a rats ass.

“Is this a threat Mr. Stark.”

“Not really sure how you heard a threat in what I said, but whatever. See it as you will. I’m giving you fair warning, if the Accords tells me to find Rogers and the others– I will.”

“Why are you telling me this? Why not just tell your superiors?”

“Consider it a favor to the man I thought you were.”

“And who might that have been?” Tony glances up and makes eye contact for a moment.

“A friend.” T’Challa tilts his head at whatever he sees written on Tony’s face at the answer, before he nods and crosses his hands behind his back.

“I thank you for the warning. I take it there is nothing else for us to discuss?”

“Not at all.”

“Very well, good day Mr. Stark.”

“Good day your Majesty.”

~+~

Tony gives T’Challa a full twenty four hours head start before he signs himself out and returns to the Avengers Compound. The Council is present, T’Challa is not in attendance, not that Tony expected him to be. He’s got the request, hard copy in his hands and he nods as he invites them in. He’s not surprised that they wanted to be present for the ‘shutting off’. He might have more goodwill with them than he’s used to, but it’s still common sense.

It won’t take long to do everything he promised though so he doesn’t really mind them sitting in. After it’s all done though, he wants nothing more than to sleep in his own bed.

“How long will this take?” One of the other Council members, Mr. Rakesh, asks.

“A few moments, at max about two minutes.” He walks into the office. “FRIDAY? Pull up the locations please.”

“On the big screen Stark, if you don’t mind.” Ross asks, all sweetness and Tony smiles back at him with a similar smile.

“Of course. FRIDAY, big screen please.” The giant monitor on the wall turns on and show the tracking algorithm.

The room is strangely tense as everyone waits to see the result, and the silence is broken by the sound of a phone ringing. Tony looks around at each of them and watches them glance between each other. “Whose phone is that?” He asks eventually and everyone shrugs.

 _‘Boss, one of the packages you got earlier has been ringing nonstop for the last few hours. It seems to be at it again.’_ Tony frowns and goes over to the pile, pulling a ‘Tony Stank’ off the top. He gives Ross a confused look and a shrug as he opens it and lets the flip phone fall out into his hand. He knows who sent it in moments.

“It’s from Rogers.” He says, letting it continue to ring in his hand.

“Answer it, speakerphone.” Ross instructs and Tony glances around to see everyone else give affirming nods to Ross’s request. He hits the answer button and immediately puts it on speaker.

“Hello?”

“Tony.” Rogers voice sounds flat and fake, like he’s trying to hide irritation behind false happiness that Tony’s answered the phone. “I’ve been calling for a while.”

“Yeah, just got in.”

“Can we talk?”

“I’m under the impression that’s what we’re doing. Listen, this call is-” Tony starts to try to tell him that he’s on speaker, least he say anything about T’Challa or his parents to a group of people that Tony would rather know nothing about that, but Rogers cuts him off like he always did.

“No, look…I don’t want to fight with you Tony, I was just calling because…have…have you read my letter?” Tony glances at the note that Ross has seen fit to open and start reading.

“Nope, like I said – just got in. And you’re on-”

“I just wanted to say…I’m sorry that it went down like this Tony. I didn’t mean for it to…I just, it’s Bucky - and he’s been through so much. It wasn’t his fault what happened, I need you to know that.” Tony’s fingers tighten on the phone and he has to take a small, deep breath to prevent himself from chucking it away from him.

“Why are you calling Rogers? I know it doesn’t have anything to do with Barnes.”

“I heard…Tony I heard that you were going to turn off the equipment.”

“You heard right.”

“You can’t do that.”

“And yet, it’ll be done in less than a minute. The Accords Council is her-”

“We need the gear Tony. I know you’re mad at me for keeping that secret from you, but this goes beyond that. We need Sam and Natasha online, we need Wanda protected. We need to keep the Avengers going.” Tony doesn’t say anything to the comments. “This…this is bigger than you and I. And it’s a little…unsporting to do this because they sided with me. That isn’t…I mean you can be a bigger man than that Tony.” It’s clear that Rogers didn’t plan whatever he was going to say, or the repeated callbacks have thrown the original script to hell.

“This has nothing to do with the kind of man I am Rogers. The Falcon Wings, the Scarlet Witch suit and the Widow Suit are going to be taken offline. It just is, and it’s out of my hands now. The Council has voted.”

“Couldn’t you just…tell them you did it and don’t? They’re no good Tony, you have to see that. They just want to collar us and order us around. We weren’t meant to be that, we need to be free, in order to save those who need saving.”

“I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about Rogers, and quite frankly I don’t think you do either. The Avengers Initiative was always created to have oversight and don’t talk to me about those who ‘need saving’ when you really only mean those who see your way and agree with you. All the rest of us can burn in hell apparently – or wait, we can just freeze to death in a Hydra base. Also, this call is being monitored and listened to by the Accords Council and Secretary Ross, like I’ve been trying to tell you. Care to say hi people?”

“What? Tony how could you-”

“Shut it Rogers, I’m telling you now. I’m taking it offline, find a way to get your jollies elsewhere. And heads up, if you continue to behave as you have been then the Council will come after you. My advice to you? Turn yourself in and tell the others to keep their heads low for the rest of their lives.”

“Tony, you were supposed to be one of us.” Tony wants to tell him to go to hell. He wants to tell him that they made it more than clear, multiple times, that Tony was not in fact one of them.

“It goes offline and Ross is getting this phone and whatever was written in that letter. I’m not going to read it, frankly I don’t care. Best of luck to you Rogers, I hope that everything works out the way you want it to.”

“Tony wait-” Tony hits the hang up button and hands the phone to Ross as it starts ringing again. Tony walks over to the computer screen and places his fingers to the keys.

It feels like amputating a phantom limb as he hits the code for the kill switch.

“It’s done.” Tony feels like that phrase encompasses more than just the gear as everyone nods.

There’s no going back now.

And Tony knows somehow, things are about to get a lot worse.


End file.
